Maja Blanca

Maja Blanca or Coconut cake is an easy dish to prepare. It doesn't need a lot of ingredients to make and doesn't take that much time also to prepare this dessert. However, just like other Filipino delicacies, a lot of variations have been made in preparing this. I think one of the most famous is the Maja Blanca mais (corn).

Here are the ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3 cups grated coconut
• 3 tbsps. corn kernels

As i've said, the procedure in making this is easy.
First, mix the 1/2 cup cornstarch, the 3 tbsps of corn and the 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl or any container. Add water and mix well. Then, in a saucepan, boil the coconut milk and gradually adding the mixture of cornstarch and sugar. Let it boil for 5 mins or until the cornstarch is cooked. Pour in a smooth buttered container then let it cool. For the grated coconut, spread in a baking sheet then toast at 350f until it is brown. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top of the cooled mixture. And, there! You have yourselves a Maja Blanca mais already.

A plain and simple dessert to prepare but a very delightful one. Enjoy!

source: http://www.filipinasoul.com/2008/02/maja-blanca-coconut-cake-recipe/
image: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2691349706_1dc78c4686.jpg

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Bicol Express

Did you know that Bicol express was not invented in Bicol?

Bicol express is an authentic Filipino dish which was popularized in Malate, Manila. However, it has also been said that it evolved from a Bicolano dish called “gulay na may lada.” Nowadays, there are already different variations of this dish because of different personal preferences. Cooked with pork and coconut cream, added with hot chili peppers, this dish is famous for its mouthwatering spicy taste.

Savor the delicious taste of this hot and spicy classic dish!

Bicol Express ingredients:

· 1/4 kilo pork, thinly sliced

· 1 cup Baguio beans

· 3 cups long chili or jalapeno peppers

· 1 onion, minced

· 1 head of garlic, minced

· 1 cup coconut milk

· 1 cup coconut cream

· 2 tablespoons of cooking oil

· Salt to taste

Bicol Express cooking instructions:

· In a bowl of water with salt, soak chili peppers for 30 minutes then rinse and strain.

· In a cooking pan, heat cooking oil and brown sliced pork for a few minutes.

· In another pan, sauté minced garlic and onion.

· Add to the sauté the browned pork.

· Then add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

· Add the chili peppers, Baguio beans and cook until dish gets a little dry.

· Add the coconut cream and simmer until the sauce thickens.

· Salt to taste.

Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net/bicol_express.htm

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Karioka

"Karioka" may be known by most athletes as a footwork exercise but for Filipinos, it is a dessert that you wouldn't want to miss. Karioka, or the Filipino Chewey Balls is one of my favorite desserts. It is sweet, crunchy in the outside and chewey on the inside. Eating this would make you want for more. Simply thinking about will make your mouth water and make your stomach growl. When I was a kid, I will always watch out for the street vendor who shouts "Karioka, Banana-cue, Kamote-cue..." It is cheap, very unique and surprisingly, very easy to do.

Here is a recipe for those people out there who would want to taste and make this sweet concoction.

Karioka (Filipino Chewy Balls) With Sweet Sugar Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups mochiko sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)
• 3 cups coconut milk, buy 2 cans
• 3/4 cup coconut, sport strings (macapuno)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• oil, for f rying
• bamboo skewers (usually four balls onto one skewer) (optional)

Directions

1. DOUGH: Mix 2 cups of mochiko and 2 cups of coconut milk together. Mixture will be very wet. Add macapuno to the dough.
2. Make into 1" to 1 1/2" balls and deep fry. (TIP: while forming, using two spoons. Then, immediately put into frying pan).
3. SAUCE: Boil 1 cup coconut milk and brown sugar until sticky. Dip karioka into the sauce and eat or pour/drizzle the sauce on the karioka. Skewer. Some people don't like their karioka sweet so they just roll/dust brown sugar on top of the karioka while its hot.

Enjoy!!


sources:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Karioka-Filipino-Chewy-Balls-With-Sweet-Sugar-Sauce-146225
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HAwBwLVmL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg
http://www.jonasapproved.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/philippine-delicacies-1-480x360.jpg

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Buko Pandan

This is an all-time favorite dessert. It's a staple in Filipino celebrations. It is a classy dessert that can be enjoyed by both the upper and lower classes of society. It's distinct taste creates a mouth-watering want. The mixture of the ingredients create an explosion making you want to have more of it. Marked with its distinct taste, this filipino dessert has become the number one dessert of kids and adults alike.

Enough of that, I'm here to teach you how to make this dessert. By following these simple steps, you will create your very own pleasure.

Ingredients
8 leaves of Pandan - cleaned well
5 Buko (Coconut)not too hard, not too soft- Grated to strips
Water from 5 Buko (approx. 10 cups)
3 small cans of Nestle Cream
1 medium can of Condensed Milk
2 bars of Green Gulaman
1 3/4 Cups Sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
1 cup Kaong (optional)

Preparation
1. Boil buko water from 5 coconuts together with 8 pandan leaves that are individually twisted to break the fibers and expose the juice. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Before adding 2 bars of gulaman, make sure you remove the pandan leaves and check if the remaining coconut water is equal to 8 cups - 1 bar of gulaman is good for 4 cups of liquid. If it is not 8 cups, less will mean hard gulaman and more than 8 cups will result in mushy soft gulaman. Ensuring gulaman is well-dissolved stir well. Add sugar while mixing. Do this for 5 minutes.
3. Pour through a strainer into cooling trays. Wait till it cools and hardens, then put in fridge.
4. Meanwhile, mix the grated buko with the 3 cans of cream and 1 can of condensed milk.
5. Add kaong if you prefer.
6. Get gulaman from ref and cut into 1 cm cubes. Mix with buko mixture.


SOURCES: http://www.bohol.ph/recipe.php?id=82
http://photos.the-protagonist.net/albums/birthday_party/buco_pandan.jpg

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Kutsinta

When my mom goes to the market early in the morning, she always buys kutsinta for me. I really like this Filipino delicacy and is one of my favorites. A bit sticky and sweet, and tastes better with some coconut sprinkled on top of it, this is definitely something worth trying to tickle your tastebuds and enjoy any time of the day.
Here is how to make it:

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups water
1 teaspoon lye water (potassium carbonate solution sold in Asian food stores)
Freshly grated coconut

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour into muffin pans, until halfway full. Steam in a large pan with a cover; the water should be 2 inches deep. Cook for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Add more water if needed until cooking is done. Remove from the muffin pans and serve with freshly grated coconut. Serves 4.

from: http://asiarecipe.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1794

I hope you enjoy not only the taste of this dish but also making it. My mom always says that if you enjoy cooking, the food you cook will also be enjoyable. So go ahead and enjoy!

image source: http://tastebuds.blog126.fc2.com/page-1.html

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Leche Flan

One of the well-known Filipino delicacies is Leche Flan. This dessert is one of the favorites of Filipinos especially during the Christmas season and some other feasts.
Just like other Filipino delicacies, Leche Flan has many variations also. It may take some time to make this dish that's why people prefer to buy those that are already made rather than making it themselves. Although it make some time, its a simple recipe to make. Here are the ingredients:

10 egg yolks
1 can condensed milk
1/2 can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of water
steamer

Procedure:

For the caramel of the leche flan, use a medium-sized oval shaped container to mix the sugar and water. Caramelize the sugar but be careful not to overcook or else it will be bitter. Let the caramel cool for awhile while make the custard of the leche flan.

For the custard, mix the egg yolks, condensed and evaporated milk, and vanilla extract together. After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, put it on top of the caramel but don't put until the top of the container.

Then, put aluminum foil on top of the container. Let it steam for around 30-45 minutes or until the leche flan is done.

To serve, run over the side of the container with a sharp knife until the leche flan is a bit loose from the container. Put a plate on top of the container and flip the plate with the container to make leche flan drop on the plate. And, that's it!

Enjoy!

image source: http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157/ToTiKaG/LecheFlan2.jpg

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